Sermon Tone Analysis

BluePrint Series week 1: Introduction

Good Evening, tonight we are going to be launching our series into the book of Ephesians.

This is one of my all time favorite books, as like many of Paul’s letter’s it is one that speaks to the believer in a very tangible way.

It uncovers for us a deeper understanding of our calling, life, and purpose as believers in Jesus Christ.

So before we really dive into this book we are going to do a quick overview, breaking down what this book is about.

One of the most important thing that I hope that by the time that you guy’s leave this Youth Group will understand is that the first thing that one must do in terms of studying scripture and interpreting it is first understanding the background.

This includes breaking down who the Author, the people that it is directed to, and the circumnstances surrounding the text are.

So let’s look at the book of Ephesians, one thing that you will find is that the authorship although should not be debated is debated by many within the protestant faith, however, what we know is that the text identifies Paul as the author of this book.

This would have been written around 60-62 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome.

Here is the part that becomes tricky, becuase little is known about the recipients of the letter called Ephesians.

Some important and early manuscripts do not contain the words “at Ephesus” The letter was carrid to its destination nyu Tychicus who in Ephesians 6:21 and Colossians 4:7 is identified as Pauls Emissary.The Ephesian and Colossian letters probably were delivered at the same time since in both letters the apost noted that Tychicus would inform the churches concerning Paul’s situation.

With that being stated, what I can suggest is the following possible scenario.

While Paul was imprionsed in Rome, the need arose to respond to the new religious philosophies influencing the Asia Minor area.

The impetus to write the letters came to paul from Paphras, who informed him of the threats to Christianity in the Lycus valley.

In response, paul wrote a letter to the Church at Colossae.

About the same time (either shorlty before or after), he penned a more expansive and general letter intended for all the Churches in Asia Minor, including that of Laodicea.

So this letter is not for singular Church or individual like a lot of the Pauline letters but rather was meant to be circiluatory and to be read throughout the different Churches in the area.

With this background laid I want to show a quick video that I think does an amazing job breaking down this book into the different areas/halfs.

Play the BibleProject video.

To keep this to aroud the timeline that I want to stick to for Youth Sermons I will not go into an actual sermon this week.

Again this is meant to be an introduction.

What I do want to say is that my goal is to move through this book piece by piece, verse by verse, so that at the end you guy’s can walk away with 1 the knowledge of what this book is all about but 2. so that you guy’s can walk away with a better understanding on how you individually can study the scriptures and apply it to your individual lives.

I cannot tell you how long this specific series will take, but what I do know is this that I want us all to grow together, and there may even be things that we don’t all agree on and that is okay.

So what I encourage you all to do is to work through this book as well in your personal time and write down questions that you have.

Because at the end of each sermon/youth group meeting we will have a time of question and answers.

Does anyone have a question at this time?

If not let’s pray and we will go ahead and close out for the night.